Phoenix
by CrazyAndLazy
Summary: AU. Thor Odinson is an only child. He has no younger brother, no siblings to speak of. And in this world, in this life, it will make all the difference. Thor is pulled into the realities of war and justice, where loyalties are tested and lies become truths. And in the center of it all, a young green-eyed orphan named Loki may be his only chance of survival. NO SLASH.
1. Prolouge

**Prologue: What If**

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><p>Thor is an only child. Always has been, and always will.<p>

This is why Frigga worries for him.

She loves Thor. She loves her son. But she cannot deny the longing in her heart, for a child that will sit upon her knee and listen with wide eager eyes as she teaches them magic and spells and—

But there is no such child. Thor is battle and violence, wrapped up in a layer of childish ignorance and greed. There is no younger sibling to teach him about the need to protect at all cost, no one to pull him back from the edge and whisper reason in his ears when he is too far gone to listen to his parents (no matter how much he loves them).

Thor has a kingdom that will most certainly be his, friends that will willingly follow him into any battle he so desires, and a weapon that commands the heavens themselves.

But Thor has no reason, no logic, because there is no one there to remind him that he needs it. No joy of childhood, no tricks, and the weight of being the only heir to Asgard's throne falling heavily upon his shoulders. There is no one to compete with him, no one to push him when he falters, and no one he feels the need to protect.

He is lacking, lacking in all the things that give life its light, and he doesn't even realize it.

It is times like those, when Frigga sees the dull gleam of war reflected in his eyes and hears the promises of bloodshed fall from his lips, that she wishes her son had a brother, or a sister. One he could trust without question, one who he could talk to about his troubles, one who would pull him into mischief and trouble simply because they are a mischievous child at heart and—

But in the end, these are only faint wishes and half-hearted dreams, a quiet whisper of what if. After all, Thor is an only child. Now and forever.

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><p>Odin watches and despairs.<p>

Oh, it hurts. His loss. What Asgard will lose, most definitely, when Thor takes the throne.

He tries. He tells Thor peace is the answer, not war, but it is useless. So young and Thor already has the gleam of war, of blood, of violence in his blue eyes. Odin's words fall on deaf ears, and all Thor will hear is that Asgard fought, Asgard won. Asgard is the greatest of the Nine Realms.

Never mind he says none of those things. That is all Thor hears and sees, a child dreaming and anticipating his first kill. A child who will feel triumph and savage joy when he finally does so, instead of grief and steel-hard resolution.

Thor is a child who welcomes war with open arms and despises the very notion of peace. That is his son's true nature. Odin knows this better than anybody. He himself was almost the same, and would have been if he had not had Frigga by his side.

On his darker days, he wonders what would be worse. Thor on Asgard's throne, or no king at all.

One might bring Asgard to ruin. The other most certainly will.

Despite this, Odin cannot bring himself to do the unthinkable. Frigga could not survive the loss of another child, and to be frank, neither could he. He is the Allfather, but he is also _Thor's _father.

On his brighter days, Odin will watch his heir (his son, always) with tired and grieving eyes. His eyes will flicker behind Thor's shoulder, to empty air.

Quietly, ever so quietly, muffled by the never-ending river of his thoughts, he wonders…_what if?_

But only for a little while. He is a king, after all, and it does not do to dwell on could-have-beens.

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><p>From time to time, as his father tells him stories of Asgard's greatest battles, Thor will ever-so-secretly glance to the side and wonder what it would be like if there was someone looking back.<p>

Odin has told him of Baldur, who had died in his mother's womb three days before his scheduled birth. How, on that night, Frigga had been poisoned by an unknown substance mixed in with mistletoe. She had survived the poison…but his unborn brother had not survived the mistletoe.

The thief, the poisoner, the murderer…had never been caught.

This infuriates Thor. Odin is strong and powerful, how could he let him get away? If it were Thor, he would have hunted the man down to the ends of the universe and torn him into a million pieces for poisoning the Queen of Asgard!

And his unborn brother, Thor supposes. But really, he's not sure if he would have liked Baldur. A warrior dying of something as flimsy as mistletoe? Pathetic.

He never says this aloud. He gets the feeling he will only hurt his mother more.

Besides, it's not as though Thor wants a brother. He likes having his family all to himself. Besides, a brother meant another potential heir. And that…Thor just couldn't allow. Not that he has anything to worry about, really. After Baldur's death, Frigga had sworn to never have another child in his memory.

Thor hadn't said a word after he heard this, but privately thought it was a bit much for someone who had died so pathetically.

Still, every once in a while, he will look. Wonder. Dream.

And then he wakes up and forgets about it. Siblings would be troublesome, he thinks, and he's definitely better off without them.

Sometimes, he thinks Odin notices. He will see a sad look in Frigga's eyes as she listens to him describe in great detail the inevitable end of the Frost Giants (by his hand, of course). He hears his friends quietly murmur to themselves, 'Now wouldn't it be nice if someone here had a sliver tongue?'

And sometimes he will look over his shoulder into empty air and wonder.

_What if?_

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><p><em>Not that it really matters, anyways. He doesn't need anyone but himself. Nor is it important. Thor is an only child, after all.<em>

_Alone on Asgard's throne with thousands of warriors at his beck and call, he will carve his name into history with the blood of his enemies._

_Long live the King._

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><p><em>AN: Hiya! Crazy and Lazy here!_

_Crazy: Nice to meet you!_

_Lazy: Read the story it's gooooooooood_

_Crazy: ...That's probably why they're at the bottom of the page..._

_Lazy: We don't know that! They could be SKIPPERS._

_Crazy: OH GOD NOT THE SKIPPERS. *cough* Anyways...Hope you liked it! No, this isn't a oneshot, the next chappie will be up soon._

_Lazy: wtf is a chappie. Is it chapstick? I need new chapstick. ANYWHO If you DIDN'T like the story that just means that the brainwashing hasn't kicked in yet. Just wait a bit. _

_Crazy: What._

_Lazy: You heard me. Biatch._

_Crazy: ...Right. Anyway, reviews would be lovely, and well appreciated. It may even motivate Lazy! *le gasp* We don't own Thor, or Loki, or anyone really. Dead broke, that's us._

_Lazy: Speak for yourself. I've got a few fictional characters chained up in my basement._

_Crazy: Yeah, yeah. The Avengers will turn up in about...oh, three good books later, so just wait for it._

_Lazy: No really. Didn't you wonder why it took so long for the third season of Sherlock? I kidnapped him._

_Crazy: Oh~kay, we're gone. Review, good readers! Loki needs you!_


	2. Ambush on Asgard

Disclaimer: We do not own Thor or the Avengers. We do own any OC's that may show up throughout the story, and the plot.

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><p><strong>Part 1: The Hidden Village<strong>

OoOoO

"_Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with." _

_-Brodi Ashton_

OoOoO

Chapter 1: Ambush on Asgard

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><p>The city of Asgard was as mighty as the tales told it to be. The golden city shone in the night, a beacon of hope to all that laid eyes on it. To others, however, it seemed to be nothing more than a gilded cage.<p>

He scoffed in disgust at the sight of it, his lips curling in distaste. The beautiful city was simply a mask, concealing the heartless monsters living within its walls. Only a few of Asgard's citizens could be called civilized.

_Of course. It _had_ to be gold with these people. Anything else would just be a blow to their precious pride. _

He kept these thoughts to himself, but couldn't resist one jab at the gleaming city, however petty it may be. He shot a mournful look at his companion, his voice pained. "I think my eyes are bleeding. Honorary sister, _save me_."

"Shut up, don't call me that," his 'honorary sister' sighed, but her words lacked any bite. "Head in the game, remember? Are we doing it tonight or what?"

He let out a harsh bark of laughter, the sound hard and bitter. "Yes. Tonight."

She gave him a searching look, clearly worried. After a long moment, she looked away and sighed, drawing out her weapons to check the edge.

He turned back to his army, decked in the best weapons and armor he could find. "Tonight, my demonic warriors, Asgard will fall! We will claim our revenge! To war!"

His army roared in approval, shaking their weapons at the night sky. It was a terrifying sound, loud and piercing, enough to send shivers down even the most battle-hardened warrior's spine.

Loki smiled.

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><p>Asgard's golden palace was a place of honor and rejoicing. Home to the Allfather and his family, the preparations for the ceremony that was meant to take place in two months were only just beginning. Workers fixed up any damages on the palace walls, rooms were being cleaned, decorations were in the process of being hung and designers tried to figure out all the little details meant to make this celebration the best it could possibly be.<p>

In the heart of the throne room, the Golden Prince himself was being fitted for his armor. More specifically, he was respectfully giving his opinion to the head seamstress.

"Are you a bumbling idiot? I _said _I wanted the cape to be long enough to drag on the floor!" Thor's voice was dark and scathing, and the woman swallowed hard, shaking fearfully.

"I'm sorry my prince. I'll fix it right away! You, girl, come here and help!"

"This wouldn't be happening if you had listened to me the first time!" Thor boomed in her face, ignoring her pleas. "Are you deaf as well as stupid?"

The woman quailed, eyes wide. "I'm—"

"I don't want to hear your excuses," Thor snarled. "How a fool like you kept your job I'll never know. You are exiled from Asgard!"

The head seamstress sobbed, sinking to the floor, bowing low. "Please, Prince, a-anything but! My children and I, we n-need m-my pay! We'll starve w-without it!"

Thor sneered. "Your children can—"

Across the room, Odin's voice drowned out Thor's cold reply. "Thor," he said reproachfully. "That is not your decision to make. Aurora, I assure you, you may keep your job. I apologize for this inconvenience. For this terrible misunderstanding, you can take the day off. Do not worry; you will still get full pay for your services. Spend some time with your children."

Aurora, the seamstress, gave the Allfather a shaky smile and a grateful bow, before she all but fled from the room.

As soon as the mighty golden doors shut, Odin turned to his only son and heir with an unreadable gaze. "That was a rather hasty decision, was it not?"

"She deserved it!" Thor snapped back, though with a bit more respect.

"She did not," Odin said coldly. "Aurora has served us faithfully for years, and is skilled with a needle, not to mention her words. She would be a good servant, and a better ally."

"She is a fool!" Thor scoffed. "I do not want an ally that cannot follow even simple instructions."

"_You are the fool!"_ Odin roared. "For years I have listened to you mock our peace, and torment our former allies. We are on fragile ground, and you are only making matters worse! Our own people are forced to endure your childish tantrums and unpleasant nature! You are a cruel, selfish _boy!_"

Thor reeled back in shock. He couldn't remember the last time Odin had spoken to him like this. He opened his mouth but no sound came. For the first time in a long while, Thor the Golden Prince of Asgard had been struck speechless.

Odin heaved a heavy sigh in the ensuing silence, sinking back into his throne like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. "Where did I go wrong with you?" he asked softly, his eyes miserable. "What did we ever do to make you become this?"

Thor said nothing.

Odin closed his eyes, weary beyond words. "I see," he said.

Thor twitched, anger alighting in his blue eyes. "I don't understand wh—"

"Allfather! Allfather!" A warrior decked out in the common gold armor of the guards burst into the throne room, breathless with panic.

"What? What is it?" Odin stood quickly, alert to any type of danger.

"We're under attack!"

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><p>Crazy: Well, that's the end of this chapter! Next one should be up…well, whenever we get around to it…<p>

Lazy: We are watching Death Note and I am finding it hard to focus on writing this.

Crazy: Yeah, that and other important stuff from real life will determine how long the next chapter will take. So, what did you think?

Lazy: Okay, new day, no Death Note. Yes. I now will insult Thor.

Crazy: It's probably best to disregard everything Lazy says, as I am currently the only person saying anything relevant to this story. *sighs*

Lazy: Not true! I come up with all the insults that Loki makes! You will see examples of my fantabulous work in the future, such as: The Golden Prince, The Asgardian Menace, The Meat-Wall, and Hammer-Head.

Crazy: Don't worry, I'll help, so they won't be…_that_ bad. ANYWAYS, please review! They make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside, like when you explode from the inside out.

….Death Note is to blame for that comment, really, it is.

Lazy: It is times like these when I am reminded why you got the title Crazy.

Crazy: Shh, they aren't supposed to know that! *nervous smile* Just DISREGARD EVERYTHING!

Lazy: Welp, time to work on the next chapter! It is gonna be fun! I like Jenny a lot.

Crazy: Oh, yes, chapter two is full of…surprising encounters. One might even say we're gonna run into it_ headfirst. _Hahaha…_._

Lazy: Careful Crazy, "_Spoilers, Sweetie._"

Crazy: You're right. Well, good readers, see ya next time!


	3. Kiki the Terrible

_Disclaimer: We do not own Thor or the Avengers. We do own any OC's that may show up throughout the story, and the plot._

_Warnings: Some swearing, but nothing serious. Oh, and death, but you probably expected that..._

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><p>Chapter 2: Kiki the Terrible<p>

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><p>Thor stood up from where he had been kneeling so fast his unfinished mantle slid right off his shoulders. "What?!"<p>

Upon his throne Odin had gone pale, his eyes hard. "Is Heimdall holding them off?"

The guard shook his head, his eyes wild with fear and shock. "No, Allfather. They aren't attacking the Bifrost. They're here, in the palace!"

Odin breathed in sharply. "That's…!" He had a reason for his surprise—never in the history of Asgard had such a thing happened.

Thor ignored his father's shock and snatched his war hammer Mjölnir from where it hung at his belt. "Where are they?!" he demanded.

Odin forcibly snapped out of his trance, his mind whirling. "No, Thor!" he commanded, "Do not rush into battle without any planning whatsoever!"

He didn't see Thor's reaction, instead turning back to the frightened guard. "Do you have any idea who or what they are?"

"N-no," The man stuttered, "But its unbelievable, sir! The m-men are dropping like f-flies!"

Odin's eyes went cold. He stood from the throne, his staff gripped tightly in his hand. His knuckles were white with rage. Asgardian blood had been spilt.

"Where are the attacks most concentrated?" He started to ask, but the loud bang of the golden doors cut him off.

Against direct orders, Thor had gone to confront the intruders.

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><p>It was, Loki reflected, almost laughably easy to break into the golden city of Asgard. So easy, in fact, that Loki was starting to doubt himself.<p>

"Am I the only one who feels like this whole thing has gone just a bit too smoothly?"

"No," his sister-in-arms conceded, kicking the face of a random Asgardian soldier. "I think so too. The only exception to that statement is the fact that we're completely and utterly lost."

"Not lost," Loki protested, "Just… a bit turned around, is all." He quickly dodged a soldier's sword, swinging around and hitting him in the back of the head with the handle of his dagger.

"Lost," she deadpanned, "Terribly, heart-breakingly lost, Kiki. Don't bother denying it. It's very irritating when you do that." She threw her poisoned needles at the soldiers charging into the room. They collapsed motionless onto the hard floors.

"Everything I do irritates you," Loki pointed out, twitching slightly at the nickname, perhaps hitting the guard a tad bit too hard, "_Jennifer_."

Jennifer simply snarled in response, snatching a shield from an unconscious guard, bashing it upon the head of another. "You little…"

She paused, and Loki frowned, lowering his daggers slightly. "Well… that was fast," he muttered.

Jennifer glared suspiciously around them, making sure none of the guards were moving.

"Forget 'trail of destruction,'" Loki continued, "'Trail of unconscious and/or dead Asgardians sounds much more appropriate right now."

Jennifer snickered, quickly turning it into a cough. Loki slid to a halt, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"You laughed," Loki exclaimed, giddy. "I actually got _you_ to laugh at one of _my_ jokes!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jennifer insisted, turning away from him. She stepped over the prone figures of the guards, continuing down the hallway.

"_But it actually happened, dammit!"_ He shouted, jumping over the bodies to get in front of her. "This is a moment for the history books!"

"Shut up, _Kiki_!"

"Make me, _Jennifer_! And stop changing the subject!"

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><p>Thor charged down the empty halls, hammer held high.<p>

Nothing. Not a single living thing stirred. The only thing Thor found was death.

The once shining floors were stained with blood and littered with bodies. All of them Asgardian.

Thor felt sick. He had known in times of battle that blood would be spilt and some bodies would never rise… But seeing it in person…

He ignored the urge to vomit, tripping over the corpses to round the corner. Ears ringing, he sagged against the wall. He would find the ones responsible for this. He would avenge his fallen comrades. Their killers would face the full fury of his power.

He would make them wish they'd never been born.

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><p>Loki jumped over a pile of newly dead Asgardian warriors, wiping off the fresh blood on his daggers with his shirt.<p>

"Thanks, Jennifer," he said sarcastically. "For, you know, helping me out back there."

"You had it covered," she dismissed.

"It's because you laughed at one of my jokes, isn't it?" Loki guessed. "The injustice of it all has you reeling, poor dear."

She flushed, the tips of her ears turning red. "I didn't—"

"One word, Jennifer. De-ni-al. You have it."

"Ugh!" Jennifer threw her hands up into the air in exasperation, nearly stabbing Loki in the eye with a needle.

"Watch it!" he yelped, backing away hastily.

"Shut up, Kiki!"

Loki scowled but remained silent, glancing back over his shoulder in a brief fit of paranoia. "You know where we are now? Are we at least close?"

"Not a clue," Jennifer admitted. "I can't find it. The blueprints were way off."

Loki scowled at the blood-soaked floor. "Dammit."

There was a moment of silence as they reflected on their morose situation.

"So," Jennifer finally said. "What are we going to do? Our- your army won't last forever.

"Don't I know it, Loki muttered. He frowned at floor, thinking, running ideas and dismissing them just as fast.

His eyes lit up, and he snapped his fingers as an idea—a brilliant, crazy, _wonderful _idea—unfolded in his mind's eye. "Okay, I got it."

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><p>Thor paused in his single-minded rampage, nearing a sharp turn to another corridor. There were voices…<p>

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><p>"What?" Jennifer asked dubiously, raising a single eyebrow. Loki smirked.<p>

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><p>Thor rounded the corner. A boy with bright green eyes and a girl with inky black hair, both of them around his age, were arguing. They were surrounded by the bloody and beaten bodies of fallen Asgardians.<p>

The girl had long, silver needles nestled between her fingers, most of them shining red from blood. The boy was cleaning off his equally bloody daggers, casually kicking away a body that had collapsed too close to him.

For a moment, Thor couldn't breathe. And then, he charged.

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><p>Loki could see the shock in Jennifer's eyes, then her determination as she accepted his plan, not a moment too soon. A young man turned the corner, staring at them. His war hammer and fine armor clearly marked him as Asgard's prince.<p>

Loki grinned. _Perfect,_ he thought.

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><p>"Plan B," the boy said.<p>

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><p>The man charged at them, fury carved into his being. Loki dodged the Prince's attempt to hit him, and then brought the hilt of his dagger down on the Prince's head.<p>

The older man toppled toward the ground face-first, nearly falling on top of him. Loki danced out of reach.

"Now, Leigh!"

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><p>The girl leapt forward, spinning around Thor's clumsy thrown punch. She was graceful as well as unbelievably fast, and Thor's growing headache wasn't helping his focus. The blow from the green-eyed boy had sent him reeling. He was stronger than he looked.<p>

The girl dashed behind him, and before Thor could react, she jabbed a sharp needle into the back of his neck, the only clean one she had left.

Instantly, Thor felt his body go numb as he lost control of his limbs and fell heavily onto the ground. Black spots blurred his vision even further.

He glared up at his attackers, struggling to stay awake. He couldn't die…He wouldn't die…He was the Golden Prince of Asgard, he couldn't die like this!

The boy with the dark green eyes knelt by his side. "Hello, princeling," he said mockingly. "I am terribly pleased to inform you that you have been kidnapped." He smiled kindly, but his eyes were hard and cold. Like Odin's had been, only a half hour before.

Thor reached out for Mjölnir, for Odin, for Frigga, for his comrades, for that little brother that had never been born, never existed, silently screaming out his plea with what little hope, strength, whatever this was that he was feeling (_desperation,_ his mind whispered, but no, that couldn't be, he was the Prince of Asgard, he wasn't—).

'_HELP ME! PLEASE! ANYBODY!'_

No one answered, and Thor's world went dark.

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><p><em>AN: Hello again! Many thanks to _**Yoyi-Yi **_(x2! Yay!), _**nObODYoTlOVE**_, and_** Cinderfire16**_ for their reviews! You guys are awesome! Rock on!_

_Crazy: Pun not intended with that last sentence of our chapter, I swear._

_Lazy: It was very much intended and you know it._

_Crazy: Humph. So what if it was? Now…ah! Dear readers, I hope you've enjoyed chapter …two? Three? Hmm…_

_Lazy: Sorry that it took so long, February was a bit of a bitch._

_Crazy: And so were the first six days of March. And yet, we have made it! Three cheers for all of you! Hip hip hooray!_

_Lazy: Yay! I like Jenny/Leigh, she's sarcastic and mean and wonderful._

_Crazy: We took great pains to make her realistic. She may be an OC, but by Agni she's an epic one. With extra snark and psychotic fits._

_Lazy: My favorite type of person. The person I aim to be… *cue dramatic music as I gaze off into the distance*_

_Crazy: Kay, so while we leave Lazy to her unattainable daydreams, I feel the need to inform you that we have not killed off our dear Golden Princeling. He's just being melodramatic. I think. Wait, let me check…*ruffles through Phoenix plot notes* Nope! Probably not dead!_

_Lazy: Probably. Possibly. But he's most likely alive. I think…_

_Crazy: Ah…what else…oh! So, what do you think of Loki's army? Of Jennifer/Leigh? Of Kiki? Want to guess about what he's been up too or how he survived? I dare you! The first person to guess correctly gets a sneak peek at chapter three!_

_Lazy: Good luck trying to guess that one! It would be cool to see all the ideas y'all come up with though!_

_Crazy: Oh, I can't wait! Well…time to start on chapter three…*cracks knuckles in preparation*_

_Lazy: *cracks toes* Ahh yes. Chapitre trois._

_Crazy: I'm not gonna have a mental breakdown this time! *nods head determinedly*_

_Lazy: I have them all the time. I do not recommend them. Not too fun._

_Crazy: Yes, I agree…*notices readers* What, you lot still here? Haven't you ever heard of the saying to never disturb a fanfic writer in the process of planning? Shoo! Review! Don't forget your left shoe! *waves arms dramatically*_

_Lazy: So long, farewell, auf weidershen, adieu!_

_Crazy: Bye-bye!_


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